Mark: Special majority for CSME Bill

SENATOR Wade Mark yesterday accused the Government of a hoax in bringing to the Senate a Bill to effect the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). He related a news story in which Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur said he only expected the single market to be effected in 2005, but the single economy to come later. “This is a hoax we are engaged in today because there is no CSME. We are being told to pass this legislation to give effect to something that does not exist.”

He explained that a single economy required countries to coordinate their fiscal, trade and macro-economic policies and adopt a single currency. Mark claimed the Bill required a special majority to be passed in each House of Parliament. He read out a clause which stated in the event of inconsistency between the Bill and any domestic laws, the Bill would prevail. Accepting Mark’s invitation to clarify the clause, Attorney General John Jeremie said a country’s domestic laws must be interpreted and if needs be, amended in line with its international treaty obligations. At that Mark declared, “The AG confirmed to me that this Bill requires a special majority, not a simple majority, to be passed.”

Mark slammed the Government for bringing the CSME Bill, which made reference to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) despite this court not yet having been approved in our domestic legislation. “We have not given support to the CCJ. No Bill has been brought here (Parliament) yet we are called on today to pass legislation that refers to the CCJ!”  He said the Government had an under-hand approach and was trying to rush though cryptic legislation. Saying Prime Minister Patrick Manning was acting like a Caribbean Santa Claus in pledging $1 billion for the Caribbean, Mark said, “Is it his money? Who gave him that permission?”.